Zephaniah

Boyd’s Bible Dictionary:

(God’s secret). (1) Ninth in order of the twelve minor prophets. Son of Cushi and a descendant of Hezekiah. He flourished during the reign of King Josiah, B. C. 641-610. His prophecy constitutes the 36th O. T. book, and denounces Judah, Nineveh, and surrounding nations, and records many cheerful promises of gospel blessings. The style is characterized by grace, strength, and dignity. (2) Son of Maaseiah and priest in the reign of Zedekiah (Jer. 21:1; 29:25-29; 37:3; 52:24-271The word which came unto Jeremiah from the Lord, when king Zedekiah sent unto him Pashur the son of Melchiah, and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest, saying, (Jeremiah 21:1)
25Thus speaketh the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, saying, Because thou hast sent letters in thy name unto all the people that are at Jerusalem, and to Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest, and to all the priests, saying, 26The Lord hath made thee priest in the stead of Jehoiada the priest, that ye should be officers in the house of the Lord, for every man that is mad, and maketh himself a prophet, that thou shouldest put him in prison, and in the stocks. 27Now therefore why hast thou not reproved Jeremiah of Anathoth, which maketh himself a prophet to you? 28For therefore he sent unto us in Babylon, saying, This captivity is long: build ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them. 29And Zephaniah the priest read this letter in the ears of Jeremiah the prophet. (Jeremiah 29:25‑29)
3And Zedekiah the king sent Jehucal the son of Shelemiah and Zephaniah the son of Maaseiah the priest to the prophet Jeremiah, saying, Pray now unto the Lord our God for us. (Jeremiah 37:3)
24And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the door: 25He took also out of the city an eunuch, which had the charge of the men of war; and seven men of them that were near the king's person, which were found in the city; and the principal scribe of the host, who mustered the people of the land; and threescore men of the people of the land, that were found in the midst of the city. 26So Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard took them, and brought them to the king of Babylon to Riblah. 27And the king of Babylon smote them, and put them to death in Riblah in the land of Hamath. Thus Judah was carried away captive out of his own land. (Jeremiah 52:24‑27)). (3) A Kohathite Levite (1 Chron. 6:3636The son of Elkanah, the son of Joel, the son of Azariah, the son of Zephaniah, (1 Chronicles 6:36)). (4) Father of Josiah and Hen (Zech. 6:10,1410Take of them of the captivity, even of Heldai, of Tobijah, and of Jedaiah, which are come from Babylon, and come thou the same day, and go into the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah; (Zechariah 6:10)
14And the crowns shall be to Helem, and to Tobijah, and to Jedaiah, and to Hen the son of Zephaniah, for a memorial in the temple of the Lord. (Zechariah 6:14)).

Concise Bible Dictionary:

Bible Handbook:

630 B.C. – 3 Chapters – 53 Verses
The pedigree of this prophet is given with more than usual care; his ancestry for four generations is named, as also the period of his prophecy — the reign of the godly reformer, Josiah (ch. 1:1). It is important to note that Zephaniah, Jeremiah, and Habakkuk, who predicted the Chaldean destruction of Jerusalem, and who prophesied during and after the reign of Josiah, omit all reference to the reformation effected by that pious king; for important as that work undoubtedly was, yet its results were neither permanent nor deep. Upon the death of the king both the succeeding prince and people lapsed into the wickedness of their fathers, and the nation became tributary to Egypt. Hence God, who knoweth the end from the beginning, passes over in silence the work of Josiah in clearing the kingdom of wickedness and idolatry.
It has been frequently remarked, and indeed it is self-evident, that the book of Jeremiah is both moral and historical in treating of Judah’s coming doom, and further, that our prophet, while occupied with the same event, does so historically; while Habakkuk, also writing of the same Judean epoch does so more as the moralist. Thus Zephaniah takes up the historical side of Jeremiah, and Habakkuk the moral side.
The references to preceding written prophecies as Isaiah, Amos, and Joel, are pretty numerous in so short a prophecy. The harmony and entire agreement in the prophetic books of the Old Testament are well worth a while’s consideration, as evidencing that one Divine mind and purpose characterize all Scripture. The great themes of all the prophets are iniquity, judgment and glory, and Zephaniah descants on these subjects, especially the latter. In the main the burden of his prophecy is the “great day of the Lord,” the day of Jehovah’s anger — an expression common to all the prophets, and signifying the future period of judgment which will succeed the translation of the church to heaven. It is therefore pre-eminently a book of judgment, but glory triumphs in the end.
The judgments predicted by this prophet are not only general and universal in their range and extent, but are also minute and particular — none escape. All creation trembles when Jehovah awakes for judgment, but glory triumphs in the end; and perhaps there is not a finer expression of Jehovah’s delight and joy in Zion within the blessed compass of revelation, than is furnished by our prophet — ”In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not: and to Zion, let not thine hands be slack. The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; He will save, He will rejoice over thee with joy; He will rest in His love, He will joy over thee with singing” (ch. 3:16-17).
Thy land and people, O Immanuel, will yet be the object of Thy joy and the rest of Thy love.
General Divisions
Chapter 1  —  The whole land of Judah is doomed to utter wasting and destruction; Jerusalem, the center of iniquity, will be thoroughly searched by judgment — none shall escape.
Chapter 2  —  A remnant are exhorted to seek the Lord, so that they may be hid in the day of Jehovah’s anger, for all the near and distant nations will endure the wrath of the Lord.
Chapter 3  —  Judah’s awful corrupt condition, but her latter-day blessing most glorious.
Table of References
Notes

Strong’s Dictionary of Hebrew Words:

Number:
6846 (find all occurrences in KJV Bible)
Transliteration:
Tsphanyah
Phonic:
tsef-an-yaw’
Meaning:
or Tsphanyahuw {tsef-an-yaw'-hoo}; from 6845 and 3050; Jah has secreted; Tsephanjah, the name of four Israelites
KJV Usage:
Zephaniah

Jackson’s Dictionary of Scripture Proper Names:

treasured of Jehovah

Potts’ Bible Proper Names:

He hid; Jab has secreted, i. e., protected:―name of four Israelites, Zeph. 1:1. {Abscondit}